Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello has declared a state of emergency in Tourism and Culture in Kogi state.
Consequently, the governor has set up a high powered Kogi State Advisory Intervention Committee on Culture and Tourism with Director General of National Council for Arts and Culture, Otunba Segun Runsewe as Chairman.
The Kogi state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Salifu Idachaba made this known on Monday, at the occasion of 2021 World Tourism Day Celebration.
He revealed that Kogi State Government has signed a memorandum of understanding with Gold City Engineering Consultancy Limited to harness the enormous potentials of Mount Patti and associated infrastructure in the State.
The theme for this year tagged “Tourism for Inclusive Growth”, Idachaba noted that the theme promotes policies that are all-inclusive and cut across groups, gender, ethnicity and religion. In the same vein, cut across all sectors of the economy such as agriculture, manufacturing, mining among others.
This arrangement, according to the commissioner gives room for substantive growth by increasing and expanding economic opportunities, ensuring access to these opportunities, creating equal platforms for everyone to explore and participate in harnessing the environment.
“In Kogi State, several efforts are ongoing to enhance tourism development and boost revenue. In 2019 Kogi State Executive Council released funds for the restoration and rehabilitation of historic relic sites and monuments to attract tourists and investors to the State for tourism related activities which is still ongoing”.
The commissioner observed that to achieve inclusive tourism development, some basic factors have to be considered such as; “availability of human resources, educated and skilled tourism workforce. Infrastructure, availability of good road network, portable water, regular power supply, ICT among others are key to the development of tourism.
“Creation of equal platforms for everyone to explore irrespective of gender, religion, region, ethnicity automatically addresses issues of inequality thereby paving way for robust income”.
Idachaba stated that tourism and culture are interwoven, adding that
over ten years ago, precisely June 3rd, 2011, Kogi State Government declared Mount Patti a tourist resort and a protected area which means all physical development and activities on the mountain must be tourism centred.
He explained that Kogi Hotels which is currently undergoing remodeling and redesign will boost infrastructure in the tourism sector as tourists, investors and travellers will prefer to seek comfort in a world class hotel which translates to increased revenue.
He appreciated governor Bello, who according to him made it possible for the state to celebrate the day by strengthening the State security architecture especially around historical relics and tourism sites thereby making Kogi State the safest for tourists.
He pointed out that tourism development is capital-intensive and private sector driven, and urged critical stakeholders and investors to partner with Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello-led administration to make Kogi State the first choice tourists destination in Africa.
